TREE-FROGS. 
281 
edged streak extending from the nostril through the eye and ear along each side 
of the body, and sending a branch upwards and forwards on the loin, while a 
whitish line descends from the upper lip to the shoulder, and then runs upwards to 
the eye, thus enclosing an elongated green area. In habits this frog is most active ; 
and while in swimming it is nearly equal to the common frog, in leaping it is its 
superior, in addition to which it is a most expert climber. When croaking, the 
sac on the throat of the males becomes so inflated as to make this appendage 
nearly as large as the body. Like toads, tree-frogs do not appear to touch the 
insects on which they prey until these begin to move. Flies, spiders, beetles, 
butterflies, and smooth caterpillars appear to form their favourite food; although 
they ha\e been known to attack and kill humble-bees. The European species is 
of very small size, but some of the American and Australian species attain compara¬ 
tively large dimensions, one of the largest members of the genus being IT. faber , 
of Brazil, which measures as much as 3| inches in length. 
Nesting-Habits. interesting account of the breeding-habits of the frog last 
mentioned, which in Brazil is known as the ferreiro, or smith, is given 
by Dr. Goeldi, whose 
observations were made 
in the Organ Mountains, 
adjoining the bay of Rio 
de Janeiro. This frosc 
makes regular pools of a 
circular form in the 
shallow borders of ponds 
and swamps, such pools 
being surrounded by 
a narrow mud-wall. In 
1894 one pond contained 
nine of these pools, which 
serve as nests for the 
tadpoles. “ On the night 
of the 18th of February,” 
writes the describer, 
“between nine and eleven 
o’clock, we approached 
the pond, occupied, as we could hear from a distance, by at least a dozen of the 
large tree - frogs. The moon was shining brightly, and much favoured our 
undertaking, but even under these circumstances we had to accustom our sight 
to discern the details in the marginal vegetation, and the portion somewhat 
hidden in the shadow. By and by we discovered the ferreiros, some at work, 
others drumming together on the walls of some pool, or in the middle of the 
pond, sitting upon some floating object, such as water-plants. The vocalists, of 
which we could distinguish the moderately inflated gular sacs, were all males.” 
After stating that he was posted on a side of the pond where five nests were 
already situated, Dr. Goeldi observes that he and his companion were fortunate 
enough to see the rising of a new nest. In a certain spot he writes that “we 
EUROPEAN TREE-FROGS (nat. size). 
